MIAMI — Larry Bird watched all of Game 6 — all the way to the ugly end of the Miami Heat's 117-92 victory that closed the Eastern Conference finals — from his seat in the stands. Then he walked through the tunnel toward the Indiana Pacers' locker room.

Who knows what he thought of the carnage he just witnessed? The peculiar and oscillating final three months of the season? The job Pacers coach Frank Vogel did? The fortitude (mental and physical) of his players? And the job he did assembling the roster that finished the season?

The Pacers' president of basketball operations will answer those questions soon enough. For starters, Vogel's job is safe, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the news had not been made public.

But it's time for Bird to take his share of responsibility for the problems that engulfed the Pacers after a cavalcade of suspect moves.

He faces another important offseason. He needs a quality playmaker and a better bench, and he must decide what to do with free agent shooting guard Lance Stephenson and struggling All-Star center Roy Hibbert.

Stephenson's antics rankled Bird and other executives around the league who are contemplating offering the shooting guard a big contract. Bird told Stephenson to cut the antics before Game 6, but the 23-year-old didn't listen, drawing a flagrant foul and sticking his hands in LeBron James' face.

Except for Game 1 and a handful of other moments, Hibbert was a non-factor against the Heat — nothing like the player who averaged 22.1 points and 10.4 rebounds and shot 55.7% from the field in last season's conference finals. In this series, he averaged 10.8 points and 7.7 rebounds and shot 41.5% from the field.

But Bird's fingerprints are at the scene of the crime, too. He put together this roster and made numerous moves, mostly to bolster the bench, that failed.

• The most recent blunder came with the Evan Turner trade. The fruitless move sent veteran Danny Granger to the Philadelphia 76ers for Turner and backup big man Lavoy Allen. Turner averaged 7.1 points a game, shot 41.1% from the field and had no impact in the playoffs with the Pacers, logging only four minutes in one game in the Heat series.

Turner was not a good fit, and while the Pacers downplay the chemistry factor, Granger was well-liked in the locker room. Meanwhile, Turner and Lance Stephenson butted heads, including a practice altercation before the playoffs started.

• Andrew Bynum didn't work, either. Signing the castoff former All-Star center was a gamble, and Bird knew that. But the signing had unintended consequences, particularly on center Roy Hibbert. While Hibbert never came out and disagreed with the signing, his feelings were exposed during All-Star Weekend. NBATV's Steve Smith asked Hibbert about the acquisition, and he immediately said backup Ian Mahinmi was having a good season,

But the move was strange for another reason. Bird made a concerted effort to rid the Pacers' locker room of knuckleheads. His goal has been to create a championship-caliber team with a culture rooted in high-character players. Bynum might not be a bad guy, but he hasn't been a good teammate since the Los Angeles Lakers traded him.

• When the Pacers traded for Luis Scola, it appeared a game-changer — another big man who could give the smaller Heat issues. Indiana was steadfast that its size — and prized home-court advantage — could and would overcome. Didn't happen.

In that Scola trade, the Pacers gave the Suns Miles Plumlee, Gerald Green and a 2014 first-round pick. Plumlee emerged as a starter and energetic rebounder, Green had the best season of his career and could've given the Pacers much-needed scoring on the perimeter, and Indiana doesn't have a first-round pick.

• Bird signed C.J. Watson for backcourt depth, but Miami exposed the point guard spot.

The Pacers never developed a bench that was deep enough. Scola and Watson were fine but not enough to help the Pacers end Miami's run to a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. Those weren't Indiana's only issues, but depth could have helped with the others.

Bird moved the Pacers in the right direction, drafting Hibbert, Stephenson and Paul George and adding George Hill and David West to form this core.

Game 6 in Miami: Heat 117, Pacers 92 -- Miami stars LeBron James, center, and Dwyane Wade, right, lead the cheers from the bench as the Heat put away the Pacers in the fourth quarter.
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Game 6 in Miami: Heat 117, Pacers 92 -- Indiana forward Paul George (24) tries to pass out of a double-team by Miami defenders Dwyane Wade (3) and Chris Bosh (1) during the second half.
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Game 4 in Miami: Heat 102, Pacers 90 -- Indiana forward David West (21) scrambles for a loose ball against Miami forward Rashard Lewis (9) and LeBron James (6) during the second half.
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Game 4 in Miami: Heat 102, Pacers 90 -- Indiana guard C.J. Watson (32) tries to work out of a double-team by Miami defenders Udonis Haslem (40) and Norris Cole (30) during the first half.
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Game 3 in Miami: Heat 99, Pacers 87 -- The Miami bench and fans rise to their feet as Ray Allen (34) knocks down a clutch three-pointer during the Heat's decisive late run.
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